Daniels County sets April hearing after approving preliminary conduit-bond resolution for hospital

Daniels County commissioners on March 16 approved a preliminary resolution to pursue conduit industrial development bonds on behalf of Daniels Memorial Healthcare Center and scheduled a final public hearing for April 6.

The county’s legal and finance presenter, Nathan Bilyeu, told the commission the bond structure is written so the county serves purely as a conduit and does not incur pecuniary liability. “Right now, the total anticipated long term financing is approximately 32,000,000,” Bilyeu said, and he cited the statute limiting municipal liability under Title 90 (the resolution text recites that limitation and says it must appear on the face of the bonds).

The resolution (bond resolution 2026-7) authorizes the county to call the required public hearing; Bilyeu said the bond documents would include a loan agreement under which the hospital assumes project obligations and agrees to indemnify the county against claims or losses. After a short question-and-answer period about permits and county exposure, a commissioner moved to adopt the resolution calling the hearing and the chair seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.

Why it matters: commissioners said the conduit structure can lower the hospital’s borrowing costs while protecting county taxpayers from liability. The vote does not approve construction, permits or county zoning for the hospital project; it merely starts the public-notice and hearing process required by federal tax rules and state law.

What’s next: the final public hearing is scheduled for April 6. County staff and the legal presenter said additional bond documents, loan agreements and closing protections will be provided before any final approvals.